The invention relates primarily to the field of medical electrocardiography, involving connecting wiring between the surface of a human body and an electrocardiograph (EKG) machine for measuring and recording the electrical waveforms emitted by a human heart, for purposes of detecting, diagnosing and treating heart ailments. The wires involved are known as Vector Leads, and are attached to a human body in various ways, such as flat metallic plates taped in place, or by a conductive suction cup. These plates and suction cups are put in place after an area of the skin has been coated with a conductive jelly to insure good electrical contact.
There have been numerous different approaches to the problem of attaching electrical wires to the skin surface of a human or other mammal, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,534,733 and 3,976,055, and German Auslegeschrift No. 2,208,653.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,733, issued in 1970 to Phipps et al, entitled "SPRING-LOADED SUCTION CUP-TYPE BIOMEDICAL INSTRUMENTATION ELECTRODE", discloses a device for attaching a co-axial cable from biological instrumentation equipment to the skin of an underwater cetacean, such as a porpoise, which is free to move about. The Phipps device comprises a large suction cup, with a spring-loaded contact pad at its center. The body surface and the spring-loaded contact, which may include a sponge disc impregnated with conductive gel, are coated with a conductive gel before the device is put in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,055, issued in 1976 to Monter et al, entitled "ELECTRODE AND CONDUCTOR THEREFORE", discloses a method of making normally non-conductive materials conductive by the addition of conductive particles to the material, and insuring good electrical contact with conductive gel applied to the electrode and skin surface by provision of a small contact area of galvanically-active material. Monter discloses a cup-shaped member of this conductive material, to be retained by the vacuum created by a suction bulb, and to be used with the conductive gel applied to the electrode or the skin surface. It can be connected to pin-tipped vector leads.
German Auslegeschrift No. 2,208,653, issued in 1973 to Heyne, discloses a suction-retained electrode, including a large sponge pad impregnated with a conductive gel, and a flexible vacuum bell. As in the Phipps patent, the conductive pad is an integral part of the assembly. The Heyne device is usable only with an external vacuum source, and has an electrical wire which is located inside a tube connected to the vacuum source.
In contradistinction to the present invention, no known prior art device usable as a Vector Lead electrode is adaptable to any currently-used-conventional EKG machine, nor eliminates the time consuming, messy application of conductive gel, nor has a disposable contact member together with a reusable retaining and support member.